Hey look it's me.

This isn't an exploratory or adventures post.

I woke up this morning and was kind of down. I knew it would happen, being new, not knowing that many people. I almost started to question my move. Almost.

I love hanging out with people and I get lonely easily. Since I have been single I have been down on myself. All of the same bullshit everyone goes through. I'm not a pussy hound or a rebound guy, never have been. All the same I kind of want to meet new people, women specifically. Then that fear creeps in. The one that I have let over take me for the past 5 years. I'm not good enough, good looking enough, I have bad credit, I don't have a nice apartment, my teeth are fucked up, blah blah blah. That shit that doesn't seem to get most others down, but occasionally kicks me straight in the taint and then grazes the sack on the way back out. Just enough to double me up into the fetal position.

This morning that started to creep in. I'll never be in a relationship or get to date anyone again started to push down upon my synapses and almost take over my brain. I was almost ready to go curl up on my bed and just watch Netflix all day. Then I started to think about all the hot, beautiful, sexy, intelligent, awesome fucking women I have dated or had sex with. Why did they date me?

Why did Heather date me when I was living in a garage with two other guys and we had no money? Why did Amber who made 10 times what I did come over to that same garage or put up with me living on my moms couch when I had hernia surgery? Why Are all of my Exes still friends of mine? Why did Jenna start dating me?

I'll tell you why, not my looks, my bank account, not my style. MY fucking personality! My friends (real friends) love me because I say what is on my mind, I'm arrogant but confident, I can be witty, and I try to learn both sides of a story or a problem before I rush to judgement. I used to never let my finances, looks, or living situation or lack there of affect me. I know how to have fun and will do it at anytime. It may not be flying to Tahiti or rushing off to London to have Tea, but fuck you if I'm not awesome. I can make an entire patio of strangers laugh at me, at you, or with me and with you. I don't know much but I do know I'm fucking awesome and I have a multitude of friends, loved ones, and hot ass exes, well most of you anyways to prove it.

PS if you are questioning wether you were one of the hot ones... you probably were not. Love ya.

Whitewash and Circumstance

“Like it? Well I don’t see why I oughtn’t to like it. Does a boy get a chance to whitewash a fence every day?”
This line stuck with me as I went exploring the past few days. I'm not sure why, but it did.

So Thursday night I got a text from an old customer of mine saying I needed to send a resume to a bicycle shop down in DUMBO (Down Under Manhattan Bridge Overpass). Well I was a little liquored so I decided I would do it Friday morning since having a clearish head is always better than a few vodka tonics deep. Well I woke up Friday, sent off my resume and decided I would go check out this area DUMBO maybe even check out the shop to introduce myself. I got up made breakfast, checked some emails, showered and got dressed. Hopped on the A, and short time later I was in Brooklyn Heights. I quickly got my bearings and proceeded to walk off in the direction of DUMBO. I had read up a little on this neighborhood, huge art/music area in the 70's/80's and 90's given the name by its residents otherwise just know as Brooklyn. It was know for the amount of murals and graffiti on almost every building. Well imagine my surprise when I got there and there was little to none of that. I took no pictures because if you have been to Downtown Fullerton and seen the new "old town apartment" buildings they have put up lately then you have seen most of DUMBO. Beautiful brick buildings plastered and painted with modern interpretations of what old towns would look like. Graffiti painted over; and murals all but none existent. It was blasé. The streets were lined with Audi's, BMW's, Mercedes, Lexus' and all other make of yuppy transportation. All with ski racks and bicycle racks. It was disheartening to say the least. This area which once was a spot of inspiration and beauty was now an homage to vomit inducing gentrification. Well at least the bicycle shop was fucking cool. A non-profit shop that rebuilds donated bikes to sell to invest back into the community. They also teach youths how to work on bicycles through school sanctioned events. I kinda of really like it. Check em out if you get a chance http://www.recycleabicycle.org Susan is a badass and for some reason really reminds me of Heather Starr.

Well from there I decided to head over to the Brooklyn Bridge and give a walk. It is awesome a path suspended above the cars with a  view of the city and the harbor that is awe inspiring.

Walkway above cars

Harbor, Governor's Island, Statue of Liberty way off in the background

Financial District From Brooklyn Bridge

 I proceeded to walk into the Financial District once again and this time just walk around get used to it. It has no numbered streets for the most part and are all names. So I wanted to get used to it. I didn't take pictures of anything but I had a rad time. I spent the better part of 3 hours down there. I tried to go see the NYSE but viewing has been off limits since 9/11.

Well with a full 8 hours of exploring I decided to go home, get some food and hit the sack. I was bound to do more the next day.

Saturday I woke up and had no clue what I was going to do. I texted Carlos to go to brunch but found out he had traveled back to California for the weekend. He was hanging out with my dog and sent me video and pictures to rub it in. Well with that knowledge where should I go? I meet someone who found out I kinda like books and they told me of this place called Strand Book Store. Off Broadway and 14th. So I hopped on the A again got down to where I should of transferred to the L but it was down for the weekend due to maintenance and them expanding the subway system. So I hoofed it on over across 14th St and ended up in Union Square. There was a farmers market going on and the food all looked delicious, fresh this, home made that, lots and lots of wine. Puppies everywhere. It was awesome. But I had a place to go.

Strand Book Store is massive. It is old school. Double sided metal racks from floor to 15' tall ceilings held stable by odd placed scraps of 2x4's. Tables of books all over the place. It was overwhelming to say the least. I got no pictures because you can't stand in one spot too long there were so many people in there. Funny thing I see more people reading books than E-readers such as Kindle's Nook's or iPads and tablets. I figured in a city like this with the fact that you have to carry everything everywhere you would see tons of electronics. Not so much.

Well from there I went a meandering. I walked and walked east and a little south. I ended up in the LES (lower east side) and Alphabet City. LES is all intent and purpose the Silver Lake of Manhattan. Cool young sheik hipsters, bodega's and pizza joints replaced with Organic coffee houses and Vegan Thai restaurants. Buildings stripped of their dirt and replaced with painted bricks. Not a lot of Graffiti anymore at street level. Just a few murals here and there. I only took one picture of a mural because I felt disrespectful taking a photo of most them because they were dedications to the deceased.

Joe Strummer is Dead Jedi. Did you know that?

I love PSA Graffiti!

As I walked around LES and Alphabet City I noticed a great deal of Gardens and Parks.  Not to mention all of the trees on every street here in NYC except the Financial District. Most of them are closed due to it being winter and really all there is walkways and snow. I can't wait for spring and summer to see all of them in bloom. I came across one that was open and people were doing some work on it. There was this awesome branch construct that I was intrigued by.

What is this Construction?

Ladder to a lookout!!

Well I walked around some more and came across awesome people and beauty all day. The thing that kept grabbing at me was the "whitewashing" of this whole city. Distinct neighborhoods that I grew up reading about, learning about and seeing through band videos, artwork, documentaries, where being blended out. Alphabet City is a place I was told before I got here that white people didn't venture into 20 years ago. It wasn't if you were gonna get mugged, but when you were gonna get mugged. I walked around for hours near housing projects and lowly corners always being smiled at and never feeling in danger. Not saying I want to get mugged, but there is some awesomeness to feeling a tinge of fear and the only fear I had was where the hell is the subway platform and man I still can't afford to live over here.

Well with that full day of exploring and my hands getting numb I decided time for a cocktail. So I headed over to the sheets again and proceeded to "break" every drink the staff could throw at me. After a few hours I rolled out and headed home. The whole time I sat in the subway station waiting for my train I just heard Tom Sawyer in my head “Like it? Well I don’t see why I oughtn’t to like it. Does a boy get a chance to whitewash a fence every day?”

Central Park Why you so big?

So Sunday I woke up and decided I was going to do so more exploration. I didn't know where or what but I was going to get out some more. I have done that about every other day. This city is so awesome and there is so much to see and I want to see it all.

Well it started with the park across the street from my apartment. It is big but there is this strange Tower in the far corner from what I can tell and it seems the park sits on a cliff. So I went a walking and I was actually surprised the park is not as big as it seems. It was rather a short trek from my door to the tower all in all 5 minutes or so.

What is this tower?

There is nothing there about what this tower is, why it exists, or when it was built? Not here at this location. But it is freaking cool and completely gated off. It sits like a lone soldier of time in a world ever advancing. I was going to hop the gate but what you don't see in the picture is the four park employees that were walking around picking up trash. I did find out what it was though. I'll get to that. 

Well my stomach started acting up, and cut the exploration of Rape/Murder park, (as my friend B and C like to call it), short. So I walked on home, grabbing my laundry from the laundry mat, and went to the restroom. I did see what I wanted to see so there was that. I also got this rad shot 

Bronx from across the Harlem Aqueduct on a cold morning!

Well being of strong testicular fortitude I was not going to give up so I quickly hopped on the A down to 125th street transferred to the C and got down to 110th. The Far northwest corner of Central Park. Man is it awesome. As I entered the park the path led me to a traffic lane which was divided into walking, Running, and cycling. It was so busy and congested it reminded me of riding the river trail 11am or so on Sundays. People everywhere. There was a marathon going on in the park as well as the first Sunday without snow so a great deal of cyclists where there as well. Well I walked up the hill on this path and found a trail that broke to the southwest that was walking only. I don't need my fatness being the hiccup in someone else's day. So I excused myself from the hustle and bustle of the traffic lane. I quickly ended up in snow and on the top of the hill at what they call Grant Hill. I would of shot a picture but it was snow and and a fence and that was it. So I kept walking south/southeast. I went down a hill followed a trail and came across this.

Random Waterfall in Central Park which there are many

Old stone bridge crossing the stream from the waterfall.

I walked through the bridge and quickly was in a little pasture opening in the trees with no pathways and surrounded by multiple creeks and streams. It reminded me of being on the farm in Colorado in winter. I stood in that area for about 20 minutes until some random runner came out of nowhere and interrupted my peaceful moment. I still have no clue where he came from, but whatever.

I proceded to walk some more and I just wandered along trails and paths with no direction in mind and no idea of where to go. No mission just trying to get lost in Central Park. I found myself near the North field which is fenced off due to the snow and them wanting the grass to be strong in the spring, I saw Blue Jays and Red breasted finches, huge fat fucking squirrels which we will get to. I couldn't get pictures though because I'm slow as shit with my phone camera. 

I ended up on the East side of the Park about three quarters of the way up. Near 5th Ave. I didn't want to leave the park so I hung a quick left when I saw another trail. I walked up it not knowing where it would lead and as I crested the top of it I found this;

Jackie-O Reservoir. Kind of hard to see but there is the fountain in the middle

I walked around this snow and ice covered manmade lake, for what seemed like forever. Always south and for a moment a little west.

As I walked I came across lochs or some call them dam buildings. They are really beautiful in their construction and architecture and have stood for decades if not a century and a half. 

Well as I kept walking I came across the main loch which was huge and beautiful and led out to the main street. It was covered in plaques and tourist information about the water and irrigation system of Manhattan, which lo and behold is the last place I would of thought to look for my original conquest The TOWER!!

Signage telling the tower was part of the original gravity fed water system of New York along with Harlem High Bridge.

 Well with that mystery solved I looked around to see where I should head and was stunned. There is one of the places I want to visit and forgot about in the overwhelming nature of this city. I proceeded to cut out a course for this place of beauty and headed due east then North then East again. I walked along muddy, icy, slushy paths, slipping every once and awhile. I was going to get there. I exited the Park at 5th Ave and I believe 90th St. I walked southbound on 5th Ave and came across this Beauty of a Cathedral.

Church of Rest 

 Well after a block or so I came to it. I was there. This monument to art and beauty. The Guggenheim. When I was going to school for design this place always grabbed me. I dreamt of spending days inside of it. It is marvelous. And much smaller than it appears in MIB. It is awesome though to look at. I attempted to walk up to the front door but the place was packed. You can't see it in the picture but there was a line already at the front door and inside.

Guggenheim from corner of 5th Ave and 88th St

So with the museum being packed and not wanting to drop $25 to be overwhelmed and annoyed with other people I proceeded back into the park after walking down 5th for a few blocks. Then I remembered Carlos said something of a Castle. I will find it I said. I walked along the North Edge of the Met and looked to the Northwest. There it was the castle. Belvedere Castle to be exact.

From the main Terrace looking out over Turtle Pond

From the Main Terrace looking at Belvedere Castle

From the top Terrace looking down upon the two lower Terraces

The Tower of the Castle

What the Castle is used for now.

So after that I continued on. No direction just meandering along paths and trails. Remember the Squirrels. Here is one of those fearless bastards right now. They are not afraid of humans and will still your food. This one was 4 feet away from me and we sat and stared at each other for at least 2 minutes.

You wanna fight bro!

 The final part of my exploration brought me to Strawberry Fields. No clue what this place was just knew it had something to do with the Beatles song. I walked up a short hill and came to this.

Memorial for John Lennon. 

This is in memory of John Lennon and his life. This is the area Lennon was shot. He and Yoko's apartment at the time is directly at my back in this picture. I still say six inches to the left would of made the world a better place. It kind of choked me up. I remember when my grandmother called my mom to say Lennon had been shot. I had no clue who that was, I just remember I hated him because he made my mom cry. I was barely 5 years old. 

Well that is enough and way to big of a post but hey, it was a lot to take in. I'm going to try and keep up on this for some people who asked me to do this. Next one will be shorter.